In his April 2026 General Conference address, Elder Dale G. Renlund taught that modern life can leave us overwhelmed by competing concerns. Like his little dog Lady trying unsuccessfully to retrieve two balls at once, we may find ourselves running back and forth between questions, problems, responsibilities, and uncertainties until we become confused and discouraged.
Elder Renlund does not suggest that our concerns are imaginary or unimportant. Instead, he teaches us to put them into eternal perspective:
Not all matters are of equal value, and maintaining an eternal perspective helps us prioritize the things that are of greatest value.
For disciples of Jesus Christ, nothing is of greater value than the Savior Himself. His Resurrection, His infinite Atonement, His power to forgive, and His perfect understanding of our mortal circumstances give us an anchor when other questions remain unresolved.
Common Criticism: Focusing on Christ Avoids Difficult Questions
When members encounter difficult questions about Church history, doctrine, culture, personal revelation, unanswered prayers, or painful experiences, they may hear counsel to “focus on Jesus Christ.”
To some, that can sound dismissive: Are we just supposed to ignore everything that troubles us?
Fallacy at Work: Attentional Bias
Attentional Bias is the tendency to give certain concerns disproportionate attention, allowing them to shape how we interpret everything else.
A troubling question can be legitimate and still become disproportionately influential. One historical concern, negative experience, or unanswered question can gradually become the lens through which every doctrine, spiritual experience, Church leader, or claim of faith is evaluated.
Elder Renlund’s Correction: Keep Christ at the Center
Elder Renlund’s answer is not to pretend the other “balls” do not exist. It is to recognize which one matters most.
Jesus Christ accomplished something no historical explanation, intellectual argument, personal achievement, or mortal institution can accomplish:
Jesus, who leads us to salvation, has the power to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves because He completed His Atonement.
Elder Renlund identifies three reasons this matters. Christ conquered death, making resurrection universal. He has the power and desire to save us from sin. And because He took upon Himself our griefs, sicknesses, and frailties, He perfectly understands the challenges and circumstances of mortality.
This is why focusing on Christ is not an attempt to avoid difficult questions. It is an act of prioritizing the greatest truth while continuing to work through lesser ones.
Solution: Remember What Only Christ Can Do
Some questions may take years to understand. Some wounds may not fully heal in mortality. Some injustices cannot be undone by better explanations.
But Christianity does not ultimately promise that we will personally solve every problem. It promises a Savior who can accomplish what we cannot.
That promise is universal—and deeply personal. Elder Renlund declared:
All means everyone. If everyone, then anyone. If anyone, then even one. And if even one, then even you.
Through sincere repentance, Christ does not merely reduce our spiritual debt. Elder Renlund teaches that “the entirety of our sin, not just a part,” is figuratively nailed to the cross. Repented-of sins leave “no spiritual scar, track, or trace.” We are not required to wear an eternal scarlet letter for something Christ has forgiven.
And His power reaches beyond sin.
Christ understands factors that no mortal observer could ever perfectly measure—our abilities, traditions, experiences, mental and emotional circumstances, desires, and everything else that has shaped us. Because His understanding is perfect, His judgment can be perfect too.
Living Apologetics: Questions in Their Proper Place
Faithful discipleship does not require being afraid of questions.
We can study Church history. We can wrestle with difficult doctrine. We can acknowledge mistakes, unfairness, disappointment, and pain. We can seek better understanding without pretending that every concern has an easy answer.
But Elder Renlund invites us to ask another question along the way:
How much weight am I giving this concern compared with what I know about Jesus Christ?
When every concern receives equal weight, we can become like Lady—running from one thing to another until confusion turns into discouragement. Eternal perspective helps us distinguish between a question that deserves investigation and a question that has unintentionally become the center of our faith.
Practical Apologetic Use
If someone says: “Telling people to focus on Jesus is just a way to avoid difficult questions about the Church.”
You might respond: “Focusing on Christ doesn’t mean pretending difficult questions don’t exist. It means keeping those questions in perspective. Christianity ultimately stands or falls on Jesus Christ, and unresolved secondary questions shouldn’t automatically outweigh what we know about His Resurrection, Atonement, forgiveness, and power to redeem.”
Ways to Apply Today
1️⃣ Identify your competing “balls.” Write down the questions, responsibilities, worries, or disappointments occupying your attention. Then ask which ones deserve the greatest spiritual weight.
2️⃣ Return one concern to Christ. Instead of asking only, “How do I solve this?” also ask, “What does the Atonement of Jesus Christ change about how I see this?”
3️⃣ Remember what Christ has already promised. When guilt, unfairness, grief, or uncertainty feels overwhelming, deliberately return to one truth Elder Renlund taught: Christ forgives completely, understands perfectly, and will ultimately make things right.
Keep This Talk With You
Elder Renlund’s message does not make mortality less complicated. There will still be more balls than we can comfortably juggle. There will still be questions without immediate answers, mistakes we wish we could undo, suffering we did not choose, and circumstances we cannot change.
But we do not need to give every concern equal authority over our faith.
At the center stands Jesus Christ.
Because of Him, death is not permanent. Because of Him, sincere repentance can result in complete forgiveness. Because of Him, we will be judged by Someone who perfectly understands every circumstance that shaped us. And because of Him, the injustices and wounds that remain unresolved in mortality do not remain unresolved forever.
Elder Renlund promises:
Because of Jesus Christ, all that is unfair in life can and will be made right.
That does not mean every painful thing was supposed to happen. It means pain does not get the final word.
Christ does.
And as we keep our focus on Him, Elder Renlund gives one more reassuring promise:
He will dependably and consistently make us whole.
This week, try one small step:
- Put one question in perspective. Give an unresolved concern the honest attention it deserves without allowing it to outweigh everything else you know about the Savior.
- Study one gift of the Atonement. Choose resurrection, forgiveness, Christ’s perfect understanding, or His power to heal, and spend a few minutes studying what scripture teaches about it.
- Reflect on Christ daily. Elder Renlund specifically invites us to reflect every day on the blessings we receive because of Jesus Christ. Make that reflection part of prayer, scripture study, or a quiet moment this week.
What might change if, instead of allowing your biggest question or concern to define your faith, you allowed Jesus Christ to define how you see that concern?
The Consider Conference series by FAIR offers an in-depth look at recent General Conference talks to help members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints navigate common questions, misunderstandings, and criticisms. Each post provides doctrinal insights, historical context, and practical ways to apply gospel principles in everyday conversations. Through this series, we hope to equip readers with faith-promoting resources that encourage thoughtful reflection, respectful dialogue, and a stronger foundation in gospel truths, fostering both personal conviction and meaningful discussions with others.
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